Cornfields and Sand Roads

Photo courtesy of Steve Wageman

Who can relate to this?
I grew up on a small 40 acre farm just about a half mile from Thurston, Nebraska.: Population about 130; a tiny town but big on heart and soul. Everyone knew everybody and we all watched out for each other.
I have lots of great memories growing up in the rural heartland. Thinking back, my “hood” only covered about one square mile, but when you are little, one square mile seemed like a thousand miles of adventures. We walked about everyplace we wanted to go…to softball practice, the little grocery store, even to school. We had a little creek that ran through our pasture, and I would spend countless hours winter, spring, summer and fall combing that little creek for treasures, sitting with the cattle as they grazed nearby (yes, that was fun for me!) Wading the creek in warm weather and sliding on the ice in winter. A big grove of trees for climbing, an old corn crib and some shabby barns…lots of places to play and pretend brings back sweet memories. But I think two of my favorite places to spend my time were the old sand road and my dad’s cornfield.
The Sand Road: I loved waking across our land to the old sand road just outside of Thurston. The sand on the road was deep, not good for riding your bike over, but there was very little traffic and the sand was so much fun to play in the deep, fine, sand. It was like a tiny bit of the Panhandle Sandhills of Nebraska right in our own back yard; so peaceful and serene. I had forgotten how beautiful that area was until I saw this photo taken by a friend on that same road recently. (Posted here)
The Cornfield: Unless you grew up on a farm, it’s hard to imagine how fantastic it is to play in a cornfield. When you’re for or five rows into a field of corn in late July or early August, it’s like a jungle…and fun to try to get lost in the vast green ocean that seems endless as a child. Sometimes I would just sit in among the rows in the stillness. I can still remember the smell, and the silent rustling of the leaves blowing in the breeze. It felt like I was invisible, and imagine I was the only person in the whole world.
A farm is a giant playground and I learned many valuable lessons growing up there. I learned to respect the land and in caring for our farm animals, I learned about life and death. I learned how to drive a stick shift, how to be tough, work hard and be independent. I learned how to be creative and imagine endless possibilities. I learned to be generous, even when you don’t have much, and most of all I learned to be content with the simple things in life, like an old sand road in the middle of everywhere!

Steve Wageman Photo courtesy

The Big Dipper and Me

Such beautiful clear evenings the past few nights have got me thinking of my mom. My mother had so many cool things about her personality. One was telling stories she made up and reciting poetry from memory. Another was a deep appreciation of the natural world. One night, when I was a little girl, she combined her talent for storytelling and her love of nature as our whole family was returning home from the city shopping. Everyone was hustling in the house with grocery bags and shouts of who was going to get to the bathroom first! My mom stopped me as I was heading in and she pointed to the beautiful night sky. She showed me the big dipper and how to use it to find the little dipper. Then she turned my attention back to the big dipper and said this: “Julie, someday, our family will change. You will all grow up and move away. Someday, your dad and I will be gone. But whenever you look up a the beautiful night sky, find the big dipper—and remember how we were in this very moment. Together and happy! Remember each day is a gift from God. And that your family is the greatest gift he gives us. Find the big dipper and look at each star that makes it’s image”.
Then she named each star from the tip of the handle to the bottom of the cup after each one of us; My Dad at the start of the handle and each of us in order, according to our age. She pointed out that in order, my star was the brightest, Alioth! And because of that, it was my job to keep that memory alive. My family has grown, mom and dad are gone, and we are scattered about with kids of our own. but our love grows and extends to cousins and aunts and uncles where ever they are from the tip of Alaska to California, to the east coast.
Every time I see the stars that make up the constellation under the Great Bear, Ursa Major, I look for the Big Dipper, and think of my mama and me, sitting out under the stars,--my dad and siblings inside our home, warm and cozy…and I thank God for the gift of family.

The Truth Behind Islam

Such important information from a man who understands Islam on a deep and intimate level. I have posted below the recent interviews of Dr. Mark Christan with Chris Baker of KFAB radio. You can click on the links below to hear them in their entirety. Each interview is withing the podcast I have posted. I thought you might be interested in Dr. Christian's background, so I have quoted his bio from his website, "Global Faith Institute" 

Dr. Mark Christian

"An Egyptian by birth and an obstetrician/gynecologist by profession, Dr. Mark Christian – destined to become a Sunni religious leader – diverted destiny, ditched Islam, and eventually became devoted to the Christian faith. Galvanized to dismantle the Sunni Islamic political agenda and Initiate real Islamic reform, Dr. Christian unpredictably put his ob/gyn career on hold in order to establish the Global Faith Institute, a Christian platform dedicated to the proclamation and pursuit of truth, particularly as it relates Middle Eastern history and current happenings to the rapidly unfolding events in the United States and around the world.
Groomed from boyhood to become an influential leader of the Muslim faith, Mark was afforded unparalleled exposure to the ideology and objectives of radical Islam, and the stringent creed of Sharia law.  This exposure was gained through his remarkable experiences as the constant companion and confidante of his father, a wealthy doctor, devout Imam, and persuasive advisor for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt – and through his uncle, who, during the massive imprisonment of the Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt in 1965, shared a cell with Sayyid Qutb, the revered and infamous ideologue for the Brotherhood’s movement.
During medical school, as Dr. Christian began intensive study and preparation to become an Islamic religious leader, he began seeking answers regarding the fundamental tenets of Islam, a query which -though vehemently opposed – exposed the Islamic myth; a quest which, after years of deliberation, ultimately led to Dr. Christian’s conversion to Christianity in March, 2003, a conversion which ignited a murderous hatred from Dr. Christian’s own father.
Dr. Christian served as a military physician for years at El Maadi Medical Center in Cairo, a prestigious hospital providing exceptional medical care to VIP’s and high-ranking military and government officials, including former Egyptian leaders Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarek.
Coming to America in 2005, Dr. Christian conducted ob/gyn research at University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he initially developed an increasing awareness of the shocking degree of Islamic infiltration and their prolific agenda in the United States.  Recognizing the urgency of this grim threat to cherished American freedoms, Dr. Christian responded through his formation and leadership of Global Faith Institute.
Dr. Mark Christian has a heart to not merely awaken and educate a sleeping American public to the actuality of Islamic intention in this country, but to reveal to a growing Muslim population that the peaceful, happy life they seek through Islam could eventually be destroyed by Islamic dominance. Crediting the rejuvenation and radicalization of political and militant Islam in 1971 for much of today’s terrorism, Dr. Christian is unceasingly attentive to critical developments.  Relentlessly keeping one eye on the Middle East while maintaining a global focus, Dr. Mark Christian is equipped with an inimitable voice and an uncanny “firsthand” apprehension of our contemporary crisis.
Dr. Christian is a popular and frequent speaker and lecturer, capturing audiences with his intriguing and incredible story, while imparting insight into the Muslim mind, and truth regarding the impact of Islam in the world today. When Mark is not busy articulating his passion for protecting the principles and practice of our priceless American liberty, he enjoys being home with his wife and son in Omaha, Nebraska."
http://kfab.iheart.com/media/podcast-chris-baker-ChrisBaker/dr-mark-christen-26357415/

http://kfab.iheart.com/media/podcast-chris-baker-ChrisBaker/dr-mark-christen-26357419/

How We Treat Each Other

We are how we treat each other and nothing more.

 It always puzzles me how folks who claim to be so tolerant and open minded are downright mean when something goes against their beliefs.  Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes first, then see if you feel the same way.

We are how we treat each other, and nothing more. The hate and the lies, jealousy, competitiveness, fighting, unwillingness to support or understand one another and pettiness is getting of control!!

We are how we treat each other and nothing more. The lack of love, lack of knowledge and people’s inability to think for themselves is astounding. People’s lack of respect for one another makes my heart ache. Everyone has a right to live how they see fit. God gave us freedom to think for ourselves. It is up to you whether you accept that or not. Don’t like it? Move on. You will find others who think like you so live there, in that space… if that is all you can handle and stay away from the  place where you can’t love your fellow man.  If you won’t pray, for them, don’t pick at them.

We are how we treat each other and nothing more.   Treating others like garbage does not win you any favors from those with whom you disagree, it makes you the exact same as those you hate. Can’t you see that? Is it self-hatred  that causes so much indifference and ignorance. Hatred spreads more hatred. Lies perpetuate more lies.  Half-truths keep you from moving forward.

We are how we treat each and nothing more.

Too much violence, too many babies going to bed hungry, women being beaten, men sleeping on the streets.

Mourning and weeping all over the world form suffering.  

Am I alone in my thinking? Does anyone else understand? I am blessed, I have a good life. But sometimes it is hard for me to sleep at night knowing what others endure while I lie in my bed, comfortable and warm.  It’s hard to find peace sometimes.

 So I go to the one in control He knows how I feel, because he has felt the pain of human indifference and hatred.

He says: Be humble, be still, wait for me. I am coming.

Jesus never forced anyone to follow him. He invites everyone in…it is your choice to follow or not.  But please don’t’ twist his words. Don’t mock someone you know little about. Listen to your heart in the stillness.

We are how we treat each other and nothing more.

Don't Kid Yourself. A College Education Is NEVER free.

A free college education that some leaders are advocating for sounds pretty sweet. No one wants to see young people succeed academically more than an educator. No  one wants to see the price of that education become more reasonable than the mother of 3 college graduates that have some big loans to pay back for that education!

But I am skeptical free tuition would work as the Democrats say it will.  

We live in a global economy, and young people have to compete with workers around the world.  It’s important  we have the best-educated workforce possible.  So we need to make an education more affordable. But there are major flaws in the current plan some are proposing.    

First and foremost, the plan is badly targeted! What about people whose families can afford to pay for their education? Why do they need free tuition? Seems like a waste of tax dollars to pay for those who can afford college and unfair to poor families who deserve the benefit of a free education and they still would not have the money to cover the cost of books, transportation and  if they are not living at home, the cost of room and board. Wouldn’t a better plan to be to apply a sliding scale to the cost of tuition depending on your income? 

Another problem with free education is it does not guarantee one will graduate. Did you know that in the US, just 20% of students who begin a 2 year program actually graduate within 3 years?  A student still needs to maintain a certain GPA to maintain free tuition.  How exactly does a free education guarantee improved graduation rates?  Community colleges have already lowered their standards to compensate for high school students who graduate ill-prepared for the rigors of college.  How will a free education improve student performance? No one can argue that the current system often fails to deliver the high-quality educational pathways that many students need to be successful in the modern workforce. It’s one thing to give everyone a free education; quite another to keep students from dropping out, or failing out, which as we all know is a problem in this country! The countries with the most success with college graduates who are highly skilled and successful in employment are not the ones with free tuition.

Which brings me to ask about minority students who are high achievers. What about high academic achieving black or Hispanic minority students? Wouldn’t it be safe to say that many smart high schoolers who come from minority-low income families opt to go to a free 2 year school instead of applying to a more rigorous,  college better suited to their abilites for financial reasons?

 Finally, if I have not convinced you there is a down side to the current proposals then answer this for me please: Who’s going to pay for free education?  In countries where higher ed is free (like in Sweden) the citizens are heavily taxed, with some of the highest tax rates in the world.  (Sweden has a 42% and Germany has a 49% tax wedge)   I don’t know about you but I feel I’m taxed enough already. I would hate to see my taxes go up even more.! And free education does not necessarily make a country globally competitive in the workplace.  Germany is already rethinking their free system and looking to the model the US has had in place for guidance.

One more thought in closing. If a 2 year education is free, how does that influence the fields of study students go into. Some degrees are more costly to earn. How is that fair and how does that influence the way  young adults decide fields of study? A  degree that is a prelude to teaching cost less than one in engineering.  Technologies for various fields are more costly. Some fields of study require more classes and more investment in time than others.  Is that viable?

College debt and accessibility to the poor or to nontraditional students is most certainly an issue, but isn’t there a better answer than the ones the Democrats are proposing?  We don’t rank globally in highly skilled workers just because college costs money. Furthermore, statistically, many graduates already have a difficult time finding jobs.  No tuition will only increase the unemployment problem.

We rank lower because our education system needs fixing, right along side the attitudes society has about education.  The old saying “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink” really holds true to why our education system is failing. You can have the best and most talented teachers in the world. But if students are not motivated to learn, if they do not understand the ethics behind hard work and fortitude in learning, then free college is nothing more than another drain on our economy! But then, there are some who don’t’ want to hear this, anytime the word free is put in front of a word, that is all the further some can see….until they find themselves with a degree and no job…or when they drop out and have wasted taxpayer money.

Yes, Lives Matter!

I honestly believe that most people in this world aren't jerks. I know there are groups of individuals in this world who are still brutally oppressed, still in need and still hoping for their lives to change for the better, and it is the cause for much unrest. But there is something very wrong with society these days and the situation is becoming more toxic, not just for police, but for everyone. There is a segment of the population whose hate for their fellow man runs far too deep, and whose anger is far too dangerous for us all. America’s problems are deep and systemic, and there is troubling evidence of racism and bias. But it is inaccurate to present these problems as the result of an organized conspiracy by just one group of people or institution. There is a dangerous rhetoric out there against police, whites, blacks, Hispanics, natives, Christians, Jews, Muslims, gays. the unborn....everyone. No one is immune, no one is safe. And until we all truly believe and understand that LIVES MATTER, and stand up and together as human beings..nothing will change. Things will become more toxic and dangerous. Is that the kind of world we want to leave for our children?